Red Bulls ready for NYCFC Round 2

The Red Bulls are not playing well right now, dropping leads and points on the road, dropping out of the US Open Cup to Philadelphia Union a few days ago. This team at the moment is not happy with their performance and they feel they let a lot slip these last three games.

"There has been some really good play by us, but we've just let them slip away." said Jesse Marsch, "But right now we're angry. We are all angry. Lost in the US Open Cup, losing points on the road, but we will be ready to go in this one. The guys are preparing to play on Sunday."

ThisFourth of July weekend the Red Bulls will be facing NYCFC again for the second time this season and we all know that the banter on social media with meme's, video packages on you tube will be flying around all over the internet (Jim Ross Calls the 7 Red Bulls Goals on NYCFC). We might have contributed to it here at Once A Metro.

Yes, we all remember the seven-goal explosion that shook Yankee Stadium on May 21st. Both Bradley Wright-Phillips and Dax McCarty scored a brace (a brace of braces?) and all three substitutes scored one of their own - with New York City native Alex Muyl's debut MLS goal being perhaps especially significant.

No one is expecting a repeat of that performance; well, the RBNY players certainly aren't. They know they are up against an opponent in good form with a point to prove. "I don't know if they are going to change much as of late they won their last two, they are a good team and maybe it shouldn't be 7-0 the last time." said Sal Zizzo, "But they are going to bring it and we need to match their intensity and bring it even more."

Luis Robles will be watching from between the goalposts, adding his voice to that of the coaches on the bench. The keeper's view of the game is almost like that of a catcher in baseball, and maybe there are similarities in the role that go unnoticed.

"That's a good comparison. Being in goal is more than just saving the ball. " said Luis Robles, "Letting them know what's going on, being encouraging to the guys, point out what needs to be done. I feel the last couple of years through the coaches they have helped me develop so I'm grateful for that."

NYCFC will be a tough opponent, as the memory of that seven-goal drubbing will be strong motivation for the blue team. Everyone already knows that the blue team will continue to build play from the back and move forward, they have done well with their last two games, and now they have revenge on their mind.

In two games at Yankee Stadium, the Red Bulls have a 174-minute shutout streak against the boys in blue, but if you count the last three, the grand total is 264-minutes of shutout soccer against the rivals from the Bronx, since Tommy McNamara converted in the sixth minute last season on June 28th. So as of right now, bragging rights are property of RBNY.

The Red Bulls have won every game they have played against NYCFC. One day, that will not be true. But until kick-off on July 3, it is a fact. The blue team, surfing the momentum of a two-game winning streak, will seek to land their first win in this derby. RBNY will, of course, hope that this game sees the end of the current slump and helps the team push itself back to the sort of form it was enjoying before the mid-season break.